NEWS: Cool connectivity

Trust the Scandinavians to design IT equipment that looks great and is easy to use.

I SHIVERED at the thought of an interview with an IT product designer, seeing that the extent of my IT savvy was e-mailing and looking for information on Google!

But how long could I remain a dinosaur? So, with a deep breath, I take the plunge and agree to a teleconference with Eskild Hansen, head of Cisco Consumer Business Group’s European Design Center.
Eskild Hansen believes that IT is changing the way humans live.

“IT is changing the way humans work, live, learn and play,” says Hansen.

He looks uncannily life-like although he is speaking through a television screen; webcams ensure we both get to see and hear each other perfectly. The latest gadgets and gizmos certainly do amazingly well to close the distance between Copenhagen and Kuala Lumpur – and I am sold!

This, Hansen says, is the future of how meetings will be conducted. The networking equipment is no longer impossible even for dummies like me to operate, nor are they ugly, bulky or difficult to use.

He claims the key to it all is design, and fortunately, Scandinavians – known for their clean and chic designs – are involved in revamping the image of these products.

“We started off with awkward-looking products that have evolved into what we term as the human network,” explains Hansen.

“We’ve seen changes in our society and how our lives evolve around the Internet. We believe technology can be used to bring us closer to each other in ways we’ve never done before!”

He presents a slide show which encapsulates how IT equipment used to be clumsy-looking and associated only with geeks. And then came the ugly home office sets with huge monitors and a tangle of wires, which then evolved into portable items that reflect our modern-day lifestyles.

“Today, when we see a picture of a young woman lounging on a sofa at home with her laptop, we can no longer tell if she is working, playing a game, watching a video, listening to music, or having a chat with someone from a different part of the world,” says Hansen.

“The digital culture is evolving to a point where we are connected wherever we are. You don’t even have to physically go to work to ‘be at work’ anymore. You can communicate, send or retrieve information, and even attend meetings using today’s new technology.
We might not know what a wireless router is but we would be proud to own these sleek things!

“This sort of integrated lifestyle is really the future, especially if you are in the information or media fields. We’d be left behind if we ignore these massive lifestyle changes and remain old fashioned!” he quips.

Research group, the Wireless Foundation, expects that wireless usage in Malaysia will increase to 96.8% in 2010 due to the rapidly growing usage of mobile devices.

Technology for the future

Cisco has always been a well-known networking solutions provider among enterprises, service providers and governments.

In May, it launched several user-friendly products for the Malaysian market designed to cater to a Media-Enabled Home.

“The earlier range of products was visually painful, according to the focus groups we put together to gauge feedback,” says Hansen.

“Many reported that the products were boxy, unattractive and downright weird with antennas sticking out. One customer said they looked like accessories from Star Trek!”

Design is about integrating technology with the creative process, Hansen explains. There are countless little details that go into the design, from the way it works to aesthetics, and consumers’ feelings when opening a package.

“Design is vital because, ultimately, the products revolve around how people use them and how they feel while using them,” says Hansen.

“That’s why we term it ‘The Human Network’. IT is not about a bunch of wires or incomprehensible equipment, but something humans use daily.”
Welcome to your shiny future. The more welldesigned hightech gadgets are, the more unintimidating and easy to use they will be. – Photos from Cisco

For example, Cisco’s new wireless router has evolved into a sleek, stylish black box that any user would be proud to place on his or her desk or mount on the wall. And every part has a specific purpose, says Hansen.

“The ‘wings’ wrapping around the router appears as though they are spreading like a wave, which is symbolic of sending out messages. People are concerned about speed, so we try to symbolise that through a sleek, shiny casing.”

He explains that Scandinavian design has such a wide appeal because it simplifies something that is complicated or cumbersome.

“Scandinavian design has a tradition of being functional, minimal and affordable. We always try to get the most out of the material we are working with and come up with the simplest possible solution to any challenge.”

Hansen believes that while IT can never replace human contact, it can bring people closer together.

“I believe that through IT, we can solve global issues and enable us to truly feel like we belong in one global village!”